The USL confirmed that 33 teams "will compete" in U.S. soccer’s second division this season, but Orlando City B is "sitting out" in '18, according to Iliana Limon Romero of PROSOCCERUSA.com. Orlando City B has "not folded and club officials have indicated they plan to field a second team in the future." USL also announced it will have "conferences split geographically." Orlando City B is the "only existing USL team that announced it would not play" in '18 (PROSOCCERUSA.com, 1/12). Meanwhile, in DC, Steven Goff noted the USL is "moving closer to expanding" into both the DC and Baltimore markets. USL President Jake Edwards said that the league is "working closely with groups in both areas." DC United would "own and operate a team in Loudoun County, Va., with a likely debut" in spring '19, while "unspecified investors are aiming to build a stadium" in Baltimore for a '20 launch. MLS has "approved United's efforts to run a USL team." Nine MLS clubs "own USL teams." Edwards is "bullish on Baltimore, a market in the mold of Cincinnati and Sacramento, the USL's most popular markets." He said that the league "continues to work with the ownership group, and the stadium remains the primary hurdle" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/13).
